Source for inexpensive loose pearls?

[NonieMarie]

My sister is making some cool bracelets with leather and pearls. I ordered an ounce, 18 pearls, of 11-12mm baroques from Oriental Pearls. The price was right but they did not have any in peacock. I need to have them drilled to 1.7mm or maybe 2mm. I'm looking for 12-16mm, they can be round and don't have to be perfect just not too flat on the side. The baroques had a flat area but it worked.
Any suggestions?

 

[c langston]

NonieMarie so much depends on the quality your looking for, project time line and your expectations. I spend way to much time hunting around for bits (not lots), time can be a big issue. Right here you will see many reliable, quality and consistent suppliers, if you are doing real production and your name is on the finished product you would likely want both. There are good pearls and there are cheap pearls...there are almost no Good Cheap pearls.

 

[NacreLover]

If you live by a large city they usually have a gem and mineral show at a fairgrounds, convention or Ag center. Many times dealers have large assortments of pearls and gems in every color of the rainbow. I do agree, you get what you pay for. If you're looking for good pearls to make your creations with buy good strands and pull them apart.

 

[NonieMarie]

The pearls are going to be used to make bracelets for my sisters and me. My sister made one that was leather with the pearls woven into it. Another is the strands of leather with pearls floating in the middle of each piece of leather. The potato pearls I bought from Oriental Pearls could not be drilled to 1.7mm. The baroques worked but I would like some in a peacock color. I could go to PP but then the bracelets would be in the $100's.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Try Stachura - they have a pretty good selection of loose pearls.

 

[Pattye]

You might also try etsy, suppplies category, suggest a search for "large hole black pearls." More pearls are available now that have already been drilled out. The highest quality isn't used, but often they are still very pretty.

A fun project!